Given that civic engagement is a core value of Illinois State University, it is important for students to know how they can make an impact through political engagement. Political engagement allows students to express their opinions on different political issues in the world and more specifically, this community.
The Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) recently interviewed Avery Spranger to learn about her thoughts on political engagement. Spranger is a senior at Illinois State majoring in political science and minoring in philosophy. She is currently interning in the University’s Office of Governmental Relations with Director Dr. Jonathan Lackland. Spranger is working to make the office more accessible to students.
The following interview with Spranger has been edited for brevity and clarity.
Why should students at Illinois State University care about political engagement?
Illinois State University is located within a “swing” area, where it’s often a toss-up for which political party will win our local races. This being said, no matter which party you tend to identify with, your vote matters a lot! A lot of people from solid blue and solid red areas can feel discouraged that their vote doesn’t make a difference; but voting on campus it certainly will. Many local races come down to a handful of votes.
Why is it important for students to vote in local elections and primaries?
While some of us are only here for four years, many choose to stay afterward and build a life in this community. It’s our duty to elect officials who are dedicated to student success, as we are an integral part of this community. Local leaders rely on our contributions to the economy, so we have to make sure they remember that on election day.
What kind of work are you doing in your internship with Dr. Jonathan Lackland, and how has the experience impacted your knowledge of political engagement?
My work with Dr. Lackland has been quite varied so far as he gives me a lot of flexibility. I’m working on a lot of initiatives to make the Office of Governmental Relations much more transparent and accessible to students. I feel like there are a lot of students interested in legislative advocacy but they often don’t know where to start. It has impacted me because I’ve started to see more of the inside of politics and what happens after people get elected. I only have real experience on the campaign side, so it’s interesting to get a look into bureaucracy.
What ways can students get politically involved on campus?
I think the easiest way is to get involved with political RSOs or get involved on a local campaign. Even just going and attending or making public comments at a county board meeting or town council meeting can be super impactful. We have students running for local office, such as someone running for county board—which is a great way to get involved.
Is there anything you wish you knew about political engagement and voting earlier in your college career?
I wish I knew earlier how much of an impact I could have. On several Election Days, I walked with many people I’d never met before to vote at the Bone. They wouldn’t have voted otherwise, but a simple “Hey, do you have plans to vote today?” sparked a conversation that led to some of them voting for the first time. While some of these things seem small, I know that small acts of civic engagement add up to the large amounts of success we see at Illinois State.
